June 2017 Yogi of the Month: Meet Ainhoa Corrales

The 216 community of yogis is rich and diverse. Each month, we invite a different yogi to share their yoga journey and demo our month’s focus. This month, we checked in with Ainhoa Corrales, whose yoga practice connects her to her own inner strength that’s been there all along!

Namaste, Ainhoa! We are grateful to have you in our community!

After reading the NYMAG critic’s pick literally saying “The space is a joy to be in. The showers are probably significantly nicer than the one in your apartment. Also, class sizes are miniature: Six students is the max, so personal attention is just about guaranteed”, I decided to visit Yoga 216.

I’d just moved to NY from Spain with my husband, and as a couple of newlyweds, we were looking for an activity to exercise daily outside of the typical fitness chain or gym in the building –an activity that allowed us to spend time together and a place where they knew us by our name and not by our gym locker number.

Currently and after going through various fertility treatments, practicing yoga has become an essential routine in my life. Not only does it help me with my physical detoxification of the hormone treatment I follow, but it helps me focus on reaching our desire and beautiful target goal that is becoming parents. I have gained muscle, my digestive system works better and the breathing techniques help me through every treatment cycle.

I have incorporated in my life many of the aspects that I have been learning from the amazing teachers, and in others I am still working with my own balance. Inversion poses continue to be a challenge for me, but that’s what it’s all about, and if at the end I don’t reach the wall, at least I will face the fear of going upside down.

The teachers bring their own style and personality making each class different even when there is a clear monthly focus plan which everyone follows. Tejal brings serenity with her in the mornings, Heidi her strength and determination, and Esther spreads optimism, a perfect combination to face the day to day life in a city that requires and absorbs as much energy as Manhattan.

I’ve always thought that the one who perseveres reaches, and thanks to yoga practice my fight or flight response has a clear and positive direction.